1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sensor management system and a computer-readable medium including a sensor management program connectable to a sensor group including a sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, photoelectric sensors are used to sense moving subjects on a production line in the factory, etc. The photoelectric sensor senses a presence of a subject by projecting a light to a conveyer route of the subject and then sensing a reflected light from the subject or a transmitted light.
According to a transmission photoelectric sensor, if a to-be-sensed subject is not present in a sensing area, the light being projected from a light projecting portion can enter into a light receiving portion. In this case, it is decided that, if a level of a quantity of a received light in the light receiving portion is lower than a set value (threshold value), the to-be-sensed subject is present in the sensing area. In contrast, according to a reflection photoelectric sensor, if the to-be-sensed subject is present in the sensing area, the light being projected from the light projecting portion can enter into the light receiving portion. In this case, it is decided that, if the level of the quantity of the received light in the light receiving portion is higher than the set value (threshold value), the to-be-sensed subject is present in the sensing area. The sensitivity of the photoelectric sensor can be changed by adjusting the set value.
If the subject is sensed inplural directions or at plural positions, pluralities of photoelectric sensors are employed. Sense signals that are output from the plurality of photoelectric sensors are supplied to a system such as a programmable controller, for example.
In order to know the states of the set values of respective photoelectric sensors, a current quantity of received light, etc., individual photoelectric sensors must be checked. Further, an information such as the set value, etc. must be set previously in the photoelectric sensor. In the above system using a plurality of photoelectric sensors, it takes much time to check respective states of a plurality of photoelectric sensors, and also such check is very troublesome.